July 30, 2013: Difference between revisions
From Gerald R. Lucas
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<poem> | <poem> | ||
I met a traveller from an antique land | I met a traveller from an antique land, | ||
Who | Who said—“Two vast and trunkless{{refn|Having no torso.}} legs of stone | ||
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, | Stand in the desert. . . . Near them on the sand, | ||
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown | Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, | ||
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command {{ln|5}} | And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command, {{ln|5}} | ||
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read | Tell that its sculptor well those passions read | ||
Which yet survive,{{refn|I.e., to outlive.}} stamped on these lifeless things, | Which yet survive,{{refn|I.e., to outlive.}} stamped on these lifeless things, | ||
The hand that mocked them,{{refn|The ''hand'' is that of the sculptor’s who ''mocked'' or imitated and perhaps made fun of the artist’s passions.}} and the heart that fed | The hand that mocked them,{{refn|The ''hand'' is that of the sculptor’s who ''mocked'' or imitated and perhaps made fun of the artist’s passions.}} and the heart that fed;{{refn|A parallel of the first part of the line: the ''heart'' is the king’s which ''fed'' his passions.}} | ||
And on the pedestal these words appear: | And on the pedestal, these words appear: | ||
‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: {{ln|10}} | ‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: {{ln|10}} | ||
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’ | Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’ | ||
Revision as of 14:00, 25 July 2021
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I met a traveller from an antique land, |
notes and commentary
- ↑ The Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II was called Ozymandias by the Greeks. According to Diodorus Siculus, a first-century Greek historian, the following was written at the base of Ramses II statue—the largest in Egypt: “I am Ozymandias, King of kings. If anyone would know how great I am and where I lie, let him surpass any of my works.”
- ↑ Having no torso.
- ↑ I.e., to outlive.
- ↑ The hand is that of the sculptor’s who mocked or imitated and perhaps made fun of the artist’s passions.
- ↑ A parallel of the first part of the line: the heart is the king’s which fed his passions.
